Cost of Living in Mexico

"I think that is a very personal question. You CAN find rental houses for about 5000 pesos per month, plus power and water, telephone and satellite. Then it depends on wether you eat the local fruits and vegetables or want something imported. Beer and alchohol are very reasonably priced, walking on the beach is free. I expect that for about 1000.00 US a person could live here comfortably. For 2000.00 you can live VERY well," wrote a person living in Manzanillo.

"San Miguel de Allende is now one of the more expensive locations in Mexico with prices recently reported as being higher than many of the beach resorts. The town is promoted by the local politicians as an "up market" destination and it is no longer the ideal destination for ex-pats on limited budgets that it was 20 to 30 years ago. The plans to develop an international airport just outside the city will further drive this type of tourism. Obviously, it is possible to live cheaply if you avoid renting near the historic center and go for one of the more "popular" non-expat colonias. Shopping in local markets and avoiding eating out too much can also minimize expenses. The recent strength of the peso combined with high inflation has also made Mexico more expensive for ex-pats," explained one expat living in San Miguel de Allende.

"I live in San Miguel de Allende and this is a tourist and expat destination with a dollar economy. Supermarket and utility prices are on par with the rest of Mexico but rents, wages for staff and service providers are high. A meal in a mid market restaurant will cost $US100 for 2 without going overboard and nearer US200 if you go for expensive cocktails, brandy or tequila. Rents var enormously depending upon location so you can find a 3 bed house in a so so area for US$450 but in a better area will be $900-1200 and in the historic center the sky the limit. Medical costs - a consultation with a general doctor or specialist US$40-50, blood/urine analysis US$100. Excellent medical services but if you need hospitalisation, long term cancer treatment etc you need to budget US$1m+ say for 5 years of chemo, radio, surgery and end of life care. Although private medical care is far less expensive than in developed countries it soon adds up and for me at age 68 in pretty good health, medical expenses insurance premiums and pay as you go represent 30% of my monthly expenditure. For young families you must budget for private education and medical/dental care," said one in Mexico.

"If one buys local or Mexican brands, food is relatively inexpensive. Eating out is 1/2 or less than in the U.S. The cost of living monthly is dependent on: a. If you own a home.
b. your lifestyle. We projected that we will save between $8 -10,000 annually by living here. Gone are the $150/mo. water and sewer bills and the $180 / gas and electricity. Every little bit of savings adds up," explained one expat who made the move to Ajijic.

"Living in Mexico can be a cost-effective alternative to living in the United States. Many people report saving money through lower costs of housing, utilities, food, and transportation. Additionally, the cost of living in Mexico is generally lower than in the U.S., making it possible to enjoy a higher standard of living with a smaller budget. With the weaker peso, it is often possible to get more bang for your buck, or achieve greater purchasing power with the same amount of money," explained one expat.

"It far exceeded expectations, I could never afford the same thing in the USA. And, the Mexican Government offered many things such as educational courses for free," said one person in Apizaco.

"Initial indications are that living in Mexico will meet or exceed our expectations. Our motivation was to find a place where we could live within our income until such time as we may require assisted living... Having gone through a number of years of paying over $6,000 a month for a family member in assisted living was a big reason for our move. We didn't want to put this kind of burden on our children. Assisted living here, if needed, is affordable and the care meets or exceeds what we paid for earlier..," remarked one expat in Ajijic.

"Much lower. We pay our property taxes and water yearly. Our taxes are $699 MX and water is $1000 MX per year. Electricity is expensive in Mexico but still less than the US and is paid every other month. We have our propane tank filled on the off month and runs about $1600 MX for 2 months. Phone and internet is $600 MX per month and that is with unlimited long distanse. We have satelite which comes out of Canada. They have grocery stores that carry US products but it is imported and therefore expensive. Produce, eggs, meat, chicken and fish is amazing and reasonable. You can pay as much as you want or as little as you have for a house and find something to fit your needs," said one expat in Lake Chapala.

"We lust bought a small (1400sqft) house in Rosarito for $325,000. Not much inventory so if are ready to buy you can't be real picky. The 2 places we really wanted to see sold the day before we got there. New house built in 2019, nice furniture & long range ocean view," remarked one in Mexico.

"My husband found a two bedroom one bath house in Pensiones neighborhood in Merida Yucatan for about $35,000 USD. It needs another $10k in upgrades or remodeling but it is a cute home and would be great. The rents here are all over the place. But a huge home with a lot of amenities unfurnished in my neighborhood (4 bedrooms or 5 with three bathrooms and so on? Goes for $14,000 Mexican pesos a month. About $675 or $700 USD give or take," explained one expat.

"The rental costs of nice 1 bedroom apartments in Mexico usually range from $400-$700 USD per month. For a nice 2 bedroom apartment, the cost increases to $700-$1000 USD per month," remarked one expat living in Mexico.

"Generally, rental properties in Mexico come with basic appliances such as a refrigerator, stove, and washing machine. Some properties may also include air conditioners, microwave ovens, and/or coffee makers. Depending on the property, some additional features such as a dishwasher may also be provided," remarked one expat living in Mexico.